300th anniversary of the birth of Malvern water man (From Malvern Gazette)

300th anniversary of the birth of Malvern water man

2:37pm Wednesday 9th April 2008

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This year is the 300th Anniversary of the birth of Dr John Wall. As well as being the first person to bottle Malvern water, he was also a founder of Worcester Porcelain, helped found Worcester Infirmary and was an artist who exhibited at the Royal Academy.

Dr John Harcup looks at the life of this remarkable man who did so much for the area.

Dr John Wall was born in Powick though we do not know his actual birth-date. However we do know that he was baptised in Powick church on October 19th.

His father was a grocer who became an Alderman and mayor of Worcester in 1703. From an early age John loved painting and eventually exhibited at The Royal Academy in London.

Examples of his oils are in the Dyson Perrins Museum of the Royal Worcester Porcelain Company. He was self taught. His expertise with a palate impressed Lord Sandys who took an interest in him.

Academically, John went to a Dame's school in Leigh Sinton then onto King's in Worcester followed by a scholarship to Worcester College Oxford. Elected a fellow of Merton College Oxford in 1734, he could not afford to study medicine abroad. In July 1736 he obtained leave of absence to practice in Worcester and five months later he was awarded a degree. His private practice was extensive and incorporated Malvern and Stratford.

With William Davis, an apothecary, he analysed water from the Holy Well in Malvern Wells and the Chalybeate well in Great Malvern (just below Priory Park pool) comparing them with that from the Belgium town of Spa, Bristol Hotwells, Cheltenham and the purest spring in Worcester.

The results confirmed that Malvern contained the least dissolved material or "the efficacy of this water seems chiefly to arise from its great purity ". These were Wall's words in his book, Experiments and Observations on the Malvern Waters" published in 1757.' This gave rise to the still remembered couplet - "The Malvern Water says Is famous for containing just nothing at all."

Wall also published cases of patients cured by the water by the Holy Well. He described how to use the water - first drinking it for several weeks before applying cloths dipped in the water to the body. He used this for cancers, ulcers, scurvy, tumours and ringworm. This was the forerunner of the wet sheet packing and water drinking before breakfast of the Priessnitz Cold Water Cure originated in Silesia and brought to Malvern by Drs Wilson and Gully in 1842.

Wall also used Malvern water on his patients in the Infirmary he helped to found in Worcester in 1746. The original Worcester Infirmary still stands in Silver Street and houses Majestic Wines. He was instrumental in founding with 13 partners, The Worcester Tonquin (porcelain) Manufactory. The years 1751-1774 are known as "The Doctor Wall Period" and he is said to have had a hand in the spectacular blue ware produced at that time.

He was treasurer of the "new" hospital in Castle Street now part of the University of Worcester development and walked from his "out of town" house in Foregate Street to the new hospital along Dr Wall's Walk, now Infirmary Walk.

Many flattering remarks have been made about him - "nature gave him talents", "most amiable" and "a man of extraordinary genius" culminating in "a life of labour for the good of others". He died in Bath in 1776 and will be forever remembered for putting Malvern water on the map.

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